Sleepless Students

The importance of a earnest night's sleep

By Amy Nickell

As students it is easy to think we don’t need much sleep. Sure, there’s that lecture at 9am but that’s no excuse to miss out on a night out, right? Most of us don’t have a regular time table and therefore don’t have a regular sleep pattern and routine – 4 hours one night, 10 the next. If you don’t need to get up before 12 then why would you? However, this common attitude to dozing off could be having serious side effects for our health.

Sometimes individuals can become so used to being sleep deprived they become oblivious to the effects. The effects of sleep deprivation can be surprising. If you feel like you have been eating all day and are still hungry this could be a sign you are sleep deprived. This is because sleep loss can disrupt blood sugar levels and cause the body to produce less leptin, a hormone that curbs appetite, and more ghrelin, leptin’s hunger-stimulating counterpart. So if you have toyed with the idea that “the longer I’m awake the more calories I will burn” therefore justifying that Danish pastry (I admit, I have) think again, it’s the ghrelin talking.

Self-control can lapse when we are tired which means you’re more likely to reach for a creme egg than a carrot stick. If you think you can hit the gym to counteract these hoover-esque approaches to the kitchen cupboard then remember to note the obvious. A fatigued body and mind is not going to equate an excellent workout. Hormones produced during ‘deep sleep’ are essential to weight management, aiding muscle building and repair.

Feeling particularly emotional at this prospect? This too could be down to not getting enough shut-eye. If you do find yourself blubbing when Bambi’s mum dies, sad as it is,  it could be because tired brains store negative memories more effectively than positive or neutral ones.

Sleep deprivation can also lead to a weaker immune system, meaning that you are more susceptible to the winter sniffles than those tucking up at 10pm. In a study carried out by the Florida Sleep Institute, researchers injected the cold virus into healthy volunteers. They found that those who slept less than seven hours a night started to develop symptoms, whilst those who got more than eight hours under the duvet were three times less likely to.

Many of us theorize that by sleeping all weekend we can make up for the hapless sleeping patterns of the previous week – a sort of banking system for sleep. However consistency is key. It is actually advisable to sleep the same amount (ideally 7-8 hours) every night. This would involve the same bed time and waking time even on weekends! Understandably, for many this will be unachievable, after all weekends were made for lie-ins. However, ‘banking’ sleep can actually lead to feeling more tired. This is due to an increase in melatonin, a sleep regulating hormone that can be caused by oversleeping.

Another supposed route to a successful night’s sleep is alcohol. It is a common misconception that a few drinks will help send us off. Yes it will knock you out but there is a big difference between falling asleep and sleeping well. Alcohol has a sedative effect – there is a big difference between sedating the brain and sleeping, which is an active brain process. Alcohol, affects your ‘sleep architecture’, the pattern of sleep and brain waves that leave you feeling refreshed in the morning. For a perfect night’s sleep you need a balance of REM sleep, sleep when you dream, and non-REM sleep, and alcohol disrupts the balance. I tested this theory with the iPhone App ‘Sleep Cycle’ which monitors your sleep patterns. The results clearly showed a much better quality of sleep following a cup of cocoa rather than a glass of vodka.  

Alcohol mainly affects the second part of the sleep cycle. From about four hours to seven hours the two graphs are contrasting. At this stage in sleep the body is supposed to be in ‘deep sleep’ mode – however, alcohol can prevent this. Studies show that even as little as three glasses of wine consumed as much as six hours before bedtime can increase wakefulness during the second half of sleep. Know the feeling of waking up on the desperate hunt for water? This dehydration can also cause one to wake easily and disrupts sleep patterns further.

So what can you do? As well as fitting in at least seven and a half hours a night, take a nap. Yes, naps are no longer restricted to oldies, instead we are all encouraged to take 20 minute naps that have been proven to increase alertness and boost your mood. However make sure you stick to 20 minutes or this could be counterproductive. It is also important to avoid nicotine close to bedtime, in fact it’s more important than avoiding caffeine. So make sure you save the coffee and fags for the morning, if at all.

Make your bedroom a place where you want to be and an environment that is sleep-conductive. If your room is chaotic and your bed unmade it won’t result in a restful night. Make sure your room is quiet, dark, and not too cool before turning in for a peaceful night’s sleep.

The main thing to remember is just how vital sleep is to our health and well-being. Believe it or not, it is equally as important as diet and exercise. It regulates mood and is closely related to learning and memory functions – more than you can say for an undressed salad.

Photo Gallery

Below are the photos associated with this article. Click on a thumbnail to see the fullsize image.